Driscoll Life - Spring 2010

SPRING 2010

| Vol.22 | No.1

18th Annual

Fiesta de los Ni単os Nets a Record

$572,143.65!

Driscoll CARE Team Serves Most Vulnerable:

Abused Children Plan a Charitable

Gift Annuity

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A Message from

Governing Board C. Ivan Wilson Chair Steve Woerner Vice Chair Bruna Callegari-Puente, M.D. Chief of Staff William Allen, M.D. Karl Serrao, M.D. Murray Bass, Jr. Jim Devlin Martha Hinojosa Pat Horne Lenora Keas Reba McNair S. Loyd Neal, Jr. Bill Sterett

Development Foundation Board of Directors 2009-2010 OFFICERS Pat Horne Manette Scanio Mary Clark Derwood Anderson Gary Wilson

President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Past President

MEMBERS Stephanie Bottom Julie Buckley Elsa Cardenas-Hagan, Ph.D. Bob Cuvelier Gerald Eckel Sister Guerra Willard Hammonds, II Nancy Hawn Wes Hoskins Lenora Keas Debbie Layton Laura Smith Noe Sherry Rumley Roger Timperlake, M.D. Sondra Tredaway Rich Tuttle Chad Wilfong

The Driscoll President and CEO

We who work at Driscoll Children’s Hospital all know what an incredible job our staff does to make wonderful things happen here, but I was recently touched that a grateful parent took the time to share her son’s remarkable experience with our organization. I want to share a few excerpts from the letter I received:

“My family is now very connected and compassionate about Driscoll Children’s Hospital. My 16-year-old son received his third kidney transplant at Driscoll on August 10. He has an uncommon disease that, while not a kidney disease of origin, attacks the kidneys quickly and completely.

Over these past years doctors have been reluctant to give him a kidney or to try cutting edge regimes for him because he is complicated. The Driscoll team, however, headed by Dr. Al-Akash, jumped at the chance to help. They were neither discouraged nor dismayed about the complexities of his case.

They were aware of this condition, but then started educating themselves even more on his disease and then developed a protocol on how to respond.

They communicated with other doctors, even internationally, and convinced us that they could and would be able to handle Luke’s case. We were floored.

Never has a team worked so cohesively, so responsively, so intelligently and as compassionately as the team at the Driscoll Kidney Center.

My son is always treated with the utmost respect by everyone at Driscoll and they did not even know him. This tells me that this is how the staff at Driscoll treats all of their patients. If there is something I can do to help you in your benevolence to them, please let me know. Thank you again.”

This is such an impressive testament to the quality of care provided by our organization, and coming from a grateful parent, speaks volumes more than I could ever convey about the caliber of Driscoll Children’s Hospital. I am honored to lead this exceptional team and so proud of the work they do every day in serving children’s healthcare needs in our community.

Bernard Paulson

Trustee Emeritus

Martha St. Romain

Executive Director

Steve Woerner | President and CEO Driscoll Children’s Hospital

Driscoll Children’s Hospital 3533 South Alameda Street Corpus Christi, Texas 78411 (361) 694-5000 DriscollChildrens.org

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A Message from

The Driscoll Development Foundation Board President

S P R I N G 2 0 10

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Vol.22

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No.1

It’s often said, “Giving is Contagious.” And there is no doubt in my mind that is absolutely true, because I have seen it happen time-and-time again. But, I have to say, there is no place I have seen it more often, and make more of a difference for children in our community and beyond than at Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

In fact, the more time I spend at Driscoll, the more I see how generosity of spirit, work and actual dollars impact the lives of these kids, offering so many of them a chance to be healed and to have a wonderful future — one that without Driscoll might not have been possible.

We all know that times are changing and are often challenging these days. But I will tell you that has definitely not dampened the generosity and the giving that is taking place at Driscoll Children’s Hospital. I have seen more compassionate giving at Driscoll than I could ever tell you, which leads me back to the fact that giving is contagious.

Once you see it, feel it and see the results, you just can’t help but give. And our community continues to give without measure. Take, for example, our Corpus Christi Fiesta de los Niños we held in February. We raised a record-setting $572,143 net for the children at Driscoll!

There are so many ways to give to Driscoll Children’s Hospital and support the mission of hope and healing here. Just one walk through the doors at Driscoll, and you’ll start thinking: What can I do? How and where can I give?

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Michael Kelly LIVING IN THE MOMENT

Please join me this spring in sharing generously in support of Driscoll. I bet you’ll find that what you receive in return for your generosity is so much more than you ever thought, and so much more than you have given.

18th Annual Fiesta de los Niños Nets a Pat Horne | President Driscoll Development Foundation Board

Record $572,143.65!

Page 11

Driscoll CARE Team Serves Most Vulnerable:

Abused Children Page 7

Planned Giving: Plan a Charitable Gift Annuity Page 21

For Kids’ Sake Page 10

DriscollChildrens.org

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MIRACLE CHILD

Michael Kelly

LIVING IN THE MOMENT

By Debra Young Hatch

STANDING IN THE DOORWAY, Michael Kelly hears footsteps coming down the hall. He stops momentarily as he spots the person rounding the corner and an enormous grin spreads across his three-year-old face. At that moment, clad in his favorites: black cowboy boots and jeans, Michael takes off and runs over to the nearest surface to play the drums using his drumsticks of choice, two newly-acquired hot pink and red pencils covered in hearts.

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Seconds later that same person, one whom he’s never met, enters the room and Michael just keeps on grinning and tapping out a rhythm all his own.

It doesn’t really matter to Michael that he doesn’t know the person who just walked in, because Michael is at Driscoll Children’s Hospital, the place this young boy called home every day for the first 10 months of his life. And the truth is, there are probably few if any people found at Driscoll who have not heard of or been touched by Michael Kelly.

“When we come into the parking lot at Driscoll,” explains Michael’s Mom, Melissa Kelly, “he starts clapping, smiling and laughing. Not the usual response for a child, but,” she smiles and shrugs, “that’s Michael. We call Michael our happy place.

He’s been that way,” Melissa says, “since he arrived. He just came that way, and that has never changed.”

No one can tell you why Michael Kelly is the way he is, or why he survived even the first day of his life, much less every one thereafter. But he did and he has. There is no question, by any standard, that every day of Michael’s young life has been a miracle on a multitude of levels. Because the truth is, the odds for his survival have never been in his favor.

“At 37 weeks,” Melissa recalls, “I was told the bad news that Michael had a right side Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH). The suspected diagnosis, confirmed at the genetic testing center, meant that during Michael’s utero development his abdominal organs had herniated through his diaphragm and were pushing his heart up. We were stunned. Honestly,” admits Melissa candidly, “it was like a knife to my heart. We didn’t know exactly what it meant but we knew it was not good.”

Melissa was right. The odds for Michael’s survival were less than optimal. And the more they learned about Michael’s condition the worse they got.

“The mortality rate,” explains Melissa, “for children with this condition is high.

There is little chance they will survive at birth, much less the repairs that follow.

There is only a 50 percent survival rate.

Plus,” she says, “Michael’s hernia was on the right side, which is even worse, and we learned that fewer boys survive DriscollChildrens.org

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this condition than girls. With all of that, Michael’s survival rate was down to about 30 percent. Plus he would have to go on the ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) machine as soon as he was born and that took his odds down to a 1 in 5 chance to survive. So,” Melissa recalls, “we went from everything is great to disaster in a matter of hours.”

But Melissa and her husband, Robert, were not going to give up. They started researching Michael’s condition and the doctors began preparing them for his birth.

“They told us this was definitely not good news, but they talked us through everything, telling us what they could do, and we felt like we were prepared, and in good hands. Part of that preparation meant more testing had to be done before Michael’s birth, so they could have a better picture of what they were dealing with here.

One of Michael’s many “family” members at Driscoll, Marsha Wartell, RN, proudly smiles with Michael.

“You know,” Melissa says smiling and using her gift of humor which she has obviously passed on to her young son who at the moment is slapping his hands on her knees and laughing hysterically at his own joke, “they told me as part of the testing, they wanted me to have an MRI. Can you imagine? Here I am 39 weeks pregnant and they are putting me in that tight MRI space and I can’t move. I truly felt like a lima bean in straw,” she quips. “But we were,” she says earnestly, “in great hands.

Michael was born right on time between Christmas and New Year’s in 27 minutes.

I have had pizza,” she smiles shaking her head, “that takes longer than that.”

I knew at that point we were either going to be out of here quickly, or Michael was going to pull out and we were going to be here for a very long time.

And then turning serious, Melissa recalls soberly, “Michael coded in the delivery room. We knew his lungs were going to collapse as soon as they took him out. And they did.”

With no time to waste, shortly after Michael was born, he was transported to Driscoll. And he was immediately put on ECMO in the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit), a machine he would be on for the next ten days.

In addition to Michael’s CDH condition, during the first few days of his life, it was discovered he had heart issues. He had two holes in his heart which would also need to be repaired in the near future.

And as a result of being on ECMO, this 7-pound little boy began to have swelling in his brain, so on January 16, a drain was put in place to decrease the swelling. And the day after that — three weeks after birth — Michael went through an 8 1/2 hour surgery to repair the hernia.

“Dr. Rotta and Dr. Serrao, our pediatric intensivists,” explains Melissa “described the ECMO machine — which is a heart bypass machine — as a ‘pause button.’

Michael was in an induced paralytic state.

“I had never gotten to hold Michael,” Melissa says, pausing momentarily, “and they really wanted me to hold him before the surgery. I know it was because they didn’t think he was going to make it.

“When I first saw Michael at Driscoll,” recalls Melissa, “it was like what you see on TV. Machines are everywhere. And your tiny, new baby is covered with tape and tubes. You can’t think. It’s overwhelming, and you don’t really know what to do. And they know that at Driscoll. The nurses and doctors give you space. And then they begin to approach you and start to help you. And then over time, for us it was a long time,” she smiles, “they become family.”

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that is disrupted. In a hospital the child experiences, ‘I cry and no one picks me up. They do painful things here to me and no one picks me up.’ Often you can’t pick them up because of all the tape and tubing, but after a procedure you can hold eye contact with them, or you can talk and they can hear your voice. They need to know something good comes after something bad. That does a great deal for development.

Frank the Chicken has been with Michael everywhere; always in his hospital bed and in every surgery.

But he did. Dr. Morales, the pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon, came out and told us, ‘He’s OK. It was worse than we thought, but he’s OK.’” From then on, Michael Kelly was in surgery every two weeks for the next three months.

At six weeks he had open heart surgery. And by the time he reached three months old, he had been through six major surgeries.

But as his mother points out smiling, “He was never alone in surgery. He had a constant companion for every single operation; one of his nurses, Marsha Wartell, gave Michael a stuffed white chicken named Frank. Frank the Chicken goes with Michael everywhere. He was always in his bed and went to every single surgery. Michael and the chicken,” Melissa says shaking her head and smiling.

Then turning serious again, Melissa says candidly, “There has not been anything easy about this experience, but what you do to get through it is you take the little victories. We could never really look forward to anything. We just took everything one-day and sometimes one-hour at a time.”

During their ten months at Driscoll, there were many marked moments of celebration. And when those moments came along for Michael, his Mom and Dad and their entire Driscoll family celebrated.

“When Michael made it to the one month

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marker, his mother was so pleased,” recalls Nora Besinaiz, a child life specialist with the Stripes Child Life Program at Driscoll Children’s Hospital, “that she said, ‘let’s have a “monthaversary” to celebrate.’ We printed a banner, had cake and all the PICU came. And we did the same thing when he made it to his second month. It was great for Michael and his

Celebrating every victory, Michael’s “monthaversaries” were chances for everyone to be thankful for his progress.

“At two months, Michael was displaying so much potential,” explains Besinaiz, “but he was so limited with all of the tubes, lines and respiratory treatments he needed. Though in Michael’s case, his eyes, they said so much, and they were always watching. The first developmental intervention with him was a mobile above his bed at two months. Then I gave him a clock wrist rattle. He didn’t have the energy to hold anything. But when he moved his hand it rattled, teaching him cause and effect. It was such a small thing, but it was huge for his development.

And his parents amid the tubes, tape and medications could see him doing something normal.

“There is no doubt,” Besinaiz says honestly, “it was a roller coaster for this

“We were celebrating the moment, being present in the moment that we had, the moment that Michael had.”

Mom and Dad. We were celebrating the moment, being present in the moment that we had, the moment that Michael had.”

In addition to all of the medical attention Michael needed, and because it looked as though he was going to be at Driscoll for quite some time, there were opportunities for Child Life to address his developmental needs as well.

“Children,” says Besinaiz, “develop a sense of trust in the world. In a hospital

family. Just when things started moving forward, something would happen and cause Michael to take not just one step back, but many huge steps back, and every staff member often wondered, ‘Is this it?’ There were so many times he would crash and they would do CPR, and he would come back. And Mom and Dad were always so positive. They were so resilient, just like Michael. They are just that way, and he came that way as well.”

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certainly needed a wealth of resiliency for their journey, because at the moment when they thought their road might be getting a little easier, it took another extreme, unexpected turn.

“Just when we thought we were edging toward the door,” recalls Melissa, “Michael developed pulmonary hypertension. Michael was six months old and honestly we didn’t think he was going to see seven months.”

Pulmonary hypertension means there is high blood pressure in the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the lungs, making it difficult for the heart to pump enough blood to the lungs, and in turn difficult to breathe.

“Children who have pulmonary hypertension fall into three categories,” explains Melissa, obviously having done her homework on her son’s condition, “those children who don’t make it to their first birthday; those children who don’t make it to their fourth birthday and those who survive. Michael is three,” she says her voice trailing off as Michael roars in the room at that moment giving his best King Kong impression, and then running out again creating laughter, head shaking and joy in his wake.

“Seeing Michael when he couldn’t breathe,” remembers Melissa, “was like watching a drowning person gasping for air. He was struggling and wanted to be held. He needed a reliable airway. So on May 22 he had a tracheostomy. The trach,” She says honestly, “enabled him to get out of bed.”

With the trach, Michael began to improve once again. He continued to have hypertensive episodes, but they began stepping him off oxygen. And at ten months old, Michael Kelly got to go home for the first time. Unfortunately, his time at home lasted only four months, and then Michael was back in the hospital unable to breathe once again. He came back to the PICU, to his spot, aptly dubbed, “Michael’s Corner.”

“When he got to Driscoll, he looked around and visibly relaxed,” says Melissa, “like he was home. But,” she admits, “we had a very shaky couple of months at that point. In fact, about mid March, 2008, we didn’t think Michael was going to make the weekend because he was having a major DriscollChildrens.org

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hypertensive crisis. But he did and in April we were able to go home once again.”

As if on cue, at that moment, Michael comes racing back into the room once again with Beth Adame, LVN, who has been with the Kelly’s since Michael’s first discharge, close behind shaking his hand and adamantly wanting a piece of scotch tape stuck to his finger removed.

“Michael is extremely tactilely sensitive,” smiles Melissa. “He doesn’t like anything on his hands. Grass drives him crazy. He won’t touch it with his hands. But Beth, Robert and I treat Michael like a normal kid. We don’t baby him or let him get away with much.”

As Melissa is talking, Michael is continuing to fuss about the tape on his finger, and Melissa says, appropriately, “Michael if you ask me please, I will be happy to take it off.”

He pauses, looks at his Mom, says please, the tape comes off, he grins appreciatively, then replies thank you, and he’s out the door again with Beth in close pursuit.

“I am not raising Michael to be sick.” says Melissa. “I am raising him to be a healthy adult. He is not going to be a ‘bubble boy,’ and he’s expected to behave appropriately.

He is very smart. And,” she laughs, “he will tell you that. He learned to sign at six months. And he always knew everything that was going on. You can’t trick him.”

Last June Michael had his last surgery to close up the remaining hole in his heart. It was probably Michael Kelly’s shortest hospital stay, as he had the surgery at Driscoll on June 3 and the next day he went home. And his next major step was in December. Melissa was told then that she needed to start getting Michael off the ventilator.

she smiles. “It was like, ‘Oh my God, he made it a minute.’ And today, Michael is off the oxygen for eight hours a day.

And the trach could come out in April or May. You learn,” she says candidly, “to be thankful for every day, every moment. We know Michael is not out of the woods yet, but we appreciate what we have and how far he has come. And we live every single day to the fullest.

“Michael,” says Melissa unequivocally, who has now run out of steam and fallen asleep sitting up in Beth’s lap, “is the light of my life. I love his attitude and his sense of humor. I knew he was going to be something, and he is.

“As for the team in the PICU at Driscoll,” Melissa pauses momentarily, gathering herself, “I could never think of enough wonderful things to say about them. I will do anything for them. They are family.

Half of my Facebook friends,” she smiles, “are the nurses from Driscoll.” Then, she says with a knowing look, “Michael even found his girlfriend, Rylee Konrad, at Driscoll. Actually, to tell you the truth,” she smiles again, clarifying and choosing to slip out of the moment for just a bit, and take a long look instead into Michael’s future, “Michael and Rylee,” she grins even wider, “they are betrothed.”

Michael and Rylee Konrad take a break on the bayfront to stare off into the horizon together.

“That was scary,” admits Melissa.

“When we first took him off, we were all freaking out a bit,” SPRIN G 2010 | DRI S COL L L I F E

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T

here’s that gnawing feeling again — the one that keeps tugging at you; it surfaces and then retreats. You brush it off, but it returns every time you see your three-year-old niece. She has that vacant look in her eyes, as though no one is home, as though she is merely going through the motions of playing and living.

Something is wrong, and you suspect abuse.

What should you do? Where should you go?

There is an option perhaps you might not have considered or even know about, the CARE Team at Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

The CARE Team, an acronym which stands for Child Abuse Resource and Evaluation Team, was established at Driscoll in July 1995. Their job is to determine if a child is suffering from abuse, physical or sexual, neglect or has a physical condition that presents as neglect, but in reality it is not. But it’s important to know that the Driscoll CARE Team is not

Child Protective Services (CPS), and they do not work for CPS. “When a child comes to us, our job,” explains Sonja Eddleman, CARE Team Coordinator, “is to determine if they are suffering from abuse, neglect or a lack of parental education. We are not the investigator here, our job is to evaluate the children medically and treat them. We are not the police or Child Protective Services, although we do work cooperatively with

week,” explains Dr. Nancy Harper, Medical Director for the Driscoll Care Team.

“We see children who have been victims of sexual abuse and assault, physical abuse — such as brain injuries, broken bones, bruises and burns — and children suffering from neglect — such as lack of food, shelter, clothing and medical care — as well as children who have failed to thrive or are victims of medical child abuse or Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy.

“We are not the investigator here, our job is to evaluate the children medically and treat them.” them and all the other child protective agencies. But we know that 60 percent of the time we are the first line of defense.”

“The CARE Team performs detailed medical and forensic evaluations of children and adolescents 24 hours a day, seven days a

Driscoll CARE Team Serves Most Vulnerable:

Abused Children

By Debra Young Hatch

“When these children arrive,” says Dr. Harper, “they get a detailed evaluation from head to toe, addressing their medical and social needs. A typical physician may spend 10 minutes with your child at a routine visit. My team spends several hours with each child and family, often juggling multiple referrals from the ER, community physicians and CPS on the same day.”

And Sonja Eddleman, who has been with the CARE Team program at Driscoll since its inception, has seen this program grow dramatically over the past fourteen years.

“When we began we were seeing 400 cases a year. Fourteen years later,” says Eddleman, “that number has grown to 1,767 cases annually, and we have twelve fulltime staff members — two administrative secretaries who handle insurance and appointments, five social workers and five forensic nurses. Our program has grown so dramatically for several reasons: We have been able to identify more children who are suffering from abuse or neglect, more people are willing to bring children in to us and we have had wonderful support from the Hospital and the Driscoll Development Foundation.

“An important part of what we do,” explains Eddleman, “is not to just treat the child who is brought into us. We start asking questions about brothers and

Members of the Driscoll Children’s Hospital CARE Team, in one of the newly-renovated treatment rooms, made possible by a gift from Valero Bill Greehey Refinery. Back left to right: Suzanne Daly, Sandra Pardo, Dr. Nancy Harper, Carol McLaughlin, Jodi Mendoza. Middle left to right: Lisa Porterfield, Candice Tovar. Front left to right: Elizabeth Andelman, Sonja Eddleman, Belinda Loera.

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sisters. We know that if there are siblings they are more than likely to have suffered actual abuse or seen the abuse taking place as well, which in truth is actually the same thing. Driscoll believes that you should take care of the whole family, and that’s what we do.”

To elevate and expand the scope of the CARE Team at Driscoll and the growing need for their services, it was evident a forensic pediatrician was essential. But since forensic pediatrics is a relatively new, complex sub-specialty, there are not many physicians with this expertise nationwide. In fact, currently there are only 13 Board Certified forensic pediatric physicians in Texas, and Driscoll has one — Dr. Nancy Harper. She was recruited to lead the team, and the difference she has made has been so dramatic that Driscoll is currently looking to add one more forensic pediatrician to its CARE Team in the very near future.

“My job here is to diagnose and treat the children,” explains Dr. Harper. “Children know I will help them because I’m a doctor. And they know they can tell me what’s happening. If a child knows you believe them, they will tell you their story.

So many times I’ve seen children brought in here and they have a glazed, flatness in their eyes. But once they know someone believes them, they are treated and are here for a few days, the light comes back.

Children are so resilient. But kids need to know if they are injured, they can heal.”

“What we are finding more and more is that people come and bring children here because it’s Driscoll,” explains Eddleman.

“Kids are referred to us from law enforcement, Child Protective Services, the court system, other physicians, schools, parents and neighbors. There are a huge number of children who are brought here by neighbors. In other places people will go to Child Protective Services. But here, there is Driscoll.”

An equally important aspect of the CARE Team program, with Dr. Harper as part of the team, is to make sure and let people know when child abuse is not occurring in their family.

“We play a critical role,” explains Harper, “in letting people know a child does not have an abuse problem. We can say, ‘No DriscollChildrens.org

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Suspected Cases of Child Abuse/Neglect Driscoll Children’s Hospital

DO YOU

SUSPECT

Contact the CARE Team at Driscoll Children’s Hospital

(361) 694-CARE

CHILD ABUSE?

Available 24 hours a day,

7 days a week,

365 days a year.

this not abuse.’ We don’t want families to be disrupted. If abuse is not occurring, we are here to stop the wheels from spinning.

“For example,” she explains, “if a baby is born weighing 8 pounds and two months later the child should weigh about 15 pounds and he or she only weighs 9 1/2 pounds, do they have a medical problem that has not been diagnosed? Is it education for the family? Is it a lack of resources or is

“…kids need to know if they are injured, they can heal.” it neglect? That’s what we want to find out.

And if education and lack of resources are the problems, we do have a feeding clinic here, to help families and teach them how to feed their children. We see three to five families in the clinic each day.”

“I believe it’s important for people to

Driscoll Children’s Hospital 3533 South Alameda Street Corpus Christi, Texas

know,” Eddleman explains, “that if a person suspects a child is being abused or neglected, they are required by law to report it within 24 hours. And they do not have to have parental consent for the child to be examined, because a parent or family member is usually the abuser.

“People always want to help,” says Eddleman. “And when they ask me what they can do, I tell them that the biggest thing they can do is listen to children; believe them and act on what they tell you. Report the situation.

Call us. Call somebody. Don’t decide you are in charge of fixing the situation and confront someone. And if you want to call us, someone on our CARE Team is available 24 hours a day at 694-CARE. We are there for the kids and the families.

That is what the Driscoll CARE Team is all about.”

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Steve Woerner, Georgia Duff and Joan Flatte

A Legacy of Hope and Healing Remembering Dr. Simpson & Dr. Duff On November 18th, 2009, Driscoll Children’s Hospital had the opportunity to honor and celebrate two very influential physicians who established the Cardiology Program at the hospital. Family members and colleagues gathered on November 18th, 2009, to remember James W. Simp­son, M.D. and James A. Duff, M.D., during a commemoration ceremony on the 5th Tower of Driscoll Children’s Hospital. Steve Woerner, President and CEO Left to right: Christoph RN; Vanessa Lonnon er Comstock, MD; Amy Fields, , CST; Edward Alcock RN, in Haiti ,

of Driscoll Children’s Hospital, with the help of Georgia Duff, wife of the late Dr. James Duff, and Joan Flatte, sister-in-law of the late Dr. James Simpson, unveiled a plaque in honor of Duff and Simpson. With over 65 years of combined service, these extraordinary men touched thousand of lives throughout South Texas, leaving a legacy that will endure for generations to come.

Heroes In Haiti

by Christopher Comstock, MD

Amy Fields, RN, and Katsana

Editor’s Note: Christopher Comstock, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Driscoll Children’s Hospital, along with Edward Alcock, RN, Amy Fields, RN, and Vanessa Lonnon, CST, recently returned from a trip to Haiti where they treated hundreds of earthquake victims. The following is an account of the experience written by Dr. Comstock.

Please join me in applauding the tremendous disaster relief efforts of three Driscoll Children’s Hospital staff members: Edward Alcock RN, Amy Fields RN and Vanessa Lonnon CST. When all three were asked by the medical mission team from Operation Rainbow for 10 days of service for the earthquake victims of Haiti, they immediately said yes. Leaving their families and taking time off work, they quickly

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packed their supplies and set off to help.

After a long flight and a six-hour bus ride over potholed roads they were finally at Good Samaritan Hospital on the Haitian border. Despite being exhausted from a full day of travel, there was no time for rest. As soon as the bus stopped at the hospital, they unloaded their supplies and went immediately to work. Ed and Vanessa worked in the operating room assisting with pediatric orthopedic surgical cases and Amy in the recovery room. The first patient Ed and Vanessa operated on was a little girl named Katsana, who had been in severe pain from a crushed hip fracture she sustained two weeks earlier during the earthquake. Katsana had been found beneath thousands of pounds of concrete and was thought to be dead. A passerby who happened to be a nurse revived her and helped transport her to Good Samaritan Hospital. Fortunately, Ed and Vanessa brought their surgical expertise so her hip was fixed within the hour. You could literally see the relief on her face in the recovery room after surgery. Amy was busy in the recovery room taking care of patients from five different operating rooms. She had none of the state-of-the-art equipment she is used to at Driscoll so she had to rely on her own skills and instincts to take care of a packed recovery room.

If that wasn’t enough, Amy could also be

found transporting patients by gurneys and assisting in loading them into the large naval helicopters that flew in several times a day. After a long, hot and dusty day they were rewarded for their efforts with a plate of rice and beans and a cold shower with water dribbling out from a pipe in the wall.

Ed, Vanessa and Amy continued to work morning, noon and night with little rest.

They were always willing to help out wherever needed. Any free moments were spent with the Haitian families in the large tents used to accommodate the earthquake victims. There were children who had lost their parents, patients who had lost limbs and countless others with multiple fractures and wounds. Most of the patients were housed in large outdoor tents since they were too scared to be enclosed in a building they feared could potentially sustain another earthquake. Despite the horrific tragedy that had occurred, the Haitians were incredibly resilient, kind and loving people.

Many lives will forever be touched by the heroic efforts of Edward Alcock, Amy Fields and Vanessa Lonnon. They selflessly gave their time, money, love and efforts to help the people of Haiti. I am proud of their efforts and feel blessed to have them here in our hospital and community.

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K99 Radiothon

K99 McDonald’s Radiothon raises

$71,049!

K-99 (KRYS 99.1) teamed up with Driscoll Children’s Hospital and McDonald’s to host the 8th Annual Radiothon. On March 5th, the one-day event was broadcast from the Half Pint Library in the Main Lobby of Driscoll Children’s Hospital. Patients, parents, physicians, and staff shared inspirational stories of hope and healing with the K-99 radio hosts as well as the K-99 listening audience. The generous community raised $71,049 for specialized pediatric programs and equipment for Driscoll Children’s Hospital. Thanks to all the country music fans for the great support.

K99 hosts Wintrow, Coco and Big Frank share the grand total after a long day’s work.

The Piñons let their Miracle Child, Kayla, tell her story of her fight against H1N1 at Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Roger Timperlake discusses numerous aspects of the orthopedic program at Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

Susan Fields, Joan Bell and Paula Broussard, all from the Driscoll Children’s Hospital Rehabilitation Department, stop to smile with K99 host Wintrow.

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The Kaylor Family shares their experience at Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

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Fiesta de los Niños Corpus Christi 2010 co-chairs Debbie Burkhalter (left) and Nora Dobson (right) accept flowers from Driscoll Children’s Hospital President and CEO Steve Woerner (right). Also pictured is Master of Ceremonies “Big Frank” Edwards of K99.

Generous community supporters came out in full force to benefit Driscoll Children’s Hospital this year. The 2010 Fiesta de los Niños Corpus Christi was a spectacular success, setting a new record for net proceeds of $572,143.65! One hundred percent of the funds raised will go towards the expansion and renovation of the Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

Such a successful night would not have been possible without our numerous dedicated volunteers — with special thanks to our excellent co-chairs, Debbie Burkhalter and Nora Dobson.

18th Annual Fiesta de los Niños:

Another

Record-Breaker!!

As the tradition of Fiesta de los Niños continues year after year, the outpouring of community support gets stronger and stronger. Thank you to all who continue to make this event a wonderful success.

Kaushik Bhakta (front) and Mahavir Bhakta of the Vishal Raju Bhagat Foundation enjoy the evening.

Driscoll Children’s Hospital Development Foundation Board member, and Fiesta Committee member, Bob Cuvelier with his wife Brenda.

Steve Johnson of JSJ Services was the high bidder of the evening. Steve is pictured with his wife, Jessica, and daughter Tisha Reyes.

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Special honoree of the evening, Hoyte Gentry, shakes hands with Bernie Paulson at Hoyte’s office during a private award presentation for Hoyte. Pictured in the back row are (left to right) Ted Daniel, Charlie Horn, Bill Hartman, Jerry Rychetsky and Ben Najvar

Staci and Rob Hall and Shelley Parks visit at the HEB table.

Proud new puppy owner Mike Weeks is excited about his live auction win!

Kathleen Horne celebrates her live auction win of a NASCAR package at Texas Motor Speedway.

Steve and Jessica Johnson and Tisha Reyes send off five oncology patients and their guardians to a Spurs game, complete with a limousine ride and Whataburger for dinner. This live auction item from Fiesta brought in the highest price of the evening.

Light Up the Night This year’s Light Up the Night donations went to “super cool” furnishings for the new Cancer and Blood Disorders Center; including specialized treatment furniture and fun new toys for the patients. Every table that donated to Light Up the Night received glowing lights to place in the table’s centerpiece in a symbolic acknowledgement of participation.

By the time Light Up the Night concluded, the entire room was aglow with lit up centerpieces. Over $60,000 was raised for this special project.

Glowing luminarias represent that members of a table have donated to Light Up the Night.

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Fiesta de los Niños Corpus Christi

Thanks to Our Sponsors for Another Sold Out Year!

T IT L E S P O N S O R

M I RA C L E S PONS ORS PAT RON S PONSORS

The Dobson Family The Vishal Raju Bhagat Foundation

American Bank • Andrews Distributing Company BBVA Compass • Cardon Healthcare Network, Inc. Frost • Fulton*Coastcon Construction • H-E-B JSJ Services, Inc. • Navy Army Federal Credit Union Pediatric Surgery & Urology • Bill & Mary Sterett Valero • Whataburger

C HA M PI ON S PONS ORS

BENEFA C TOR S PONS ORS AEP Texas Drs. Samhar Al-Akash & Salam Gharaybeh Dr. Bill Allen - Nephrology All Tech Inspection The Automation Group Bank of America Berry Contracting, Inc. - Bay LTD. Borden Insurance The Brock Group Buckley & Associates

Children’s Physician Services of South Texas Coastal Life Systems, Inc. Marie Colson Jim & Caryl Devlin Doraine Wealth Management Group, Inc. Durrill Properties Ed Hicks Imports/Ed Hicks Nissan Everest Resource Company First Community Bank

Flint Hills Resources Gulf Business Printing Hoyte & Elizabeth Gentry The Gil & Dody Weaver Foundation H & S Constructors Harbor Perfusion, Inc. Homestyle Specialty Nursing Care Industrial Fabricators of Corpus Christi Industrial Site Services, Inc. IOM - Mobile Solutions

Jacobs The John G. & Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation Lica & Marc Layton Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP Maverick Engineering, Inc. McLemore Building Maintenance Bernard & Joan Paulson Rabalais I & E Constructors Reliant Energy

The Robert Driscoll & Julia Driscoll & Robert Driscoll, Jr. Foundation Scott Electric Company Sodexo Service of Texas Stripes/Catherine & Sam L. Susser Third Coast Charters Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Wigington Rumley Dunn, LLP C. Ivan & Lola Wilson

TA BL E S PONS ORS ABC Pediatrics AG|CM, Inc. Ainsworth Trucking, L.P. Rudy Alexander AlliedBarton Security Allied Waste Services Ambitech Engineering Corporation American Bank Barcom Commercial, Inc./ Coastal Bend Fire Protection Basic Industries of South Texas, Ltd. Bass, O’Lavin, Linscott & Keas B-C Equipment Bell Consulting

Blue Bell Ice Cream Burns & McDonnell Cat-Spec, Ltd. CC Hooks Century Link Charles A. Robertson, DDS The Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Driscoll Children’s Hospital CLK Architects & Associates Coldwell Banker Pacesetter Steel – Laura Smith Noe, Ann Engel & Janet Allen Corpus Christi Equipment

Dr. & Mrs. Jack Cortese Catherine Carr Davis Driscoll Physicians Group EOG Resources, Inc. File Pro First Victoria Flint Hills Resources Rec Club Gene & Celeste Guernsey Gulf Coast Crane Herndon Plant Oakley, Ltd HRT - Hospital Resources & Technology Humpal Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Inmon Respiratory Services

Jennings & Company JM Davidson, Ltd. JV Industrial Companies Albert Kessler, Buddy Herin, Harold Kane, Randy Larson Kids Doc CC - Dr. Vijje Kiewit Offshore Services, Ltd. Kleberg Bank KLS-Martin, LP Koch Pipeline Dr. & Mrs. Jay Koska Kathy & Jerry Kramer Debbie and Matt Layton and Elizabeth Nisbet

Dr. Jane Lyon & Mr. Lionel Cassin Miller & Miller Mechanical Contracting Company Naismith Engineering, Inc. NALCO National Nursing & Rehab Neonatology Consultants of Corpus Christi & South Texas Neptune Heat Treating, Inc. Nueces Power Equipment Nustar Energy, LP Bonnie Pereida The Port of Corpus Christi Authority Puffer-Sweiven

Repcon, Inc. San Jacinto Title Services Shea Physical Therapy South Texas Filter & Supply Benna & Roger Timperlake, M.D. TNT Crane & Rigging, Inc. Valls Group/Ostos Group Patsy & Charlie Winn Family Wood, Boykin & Wolter, P.C.

S PEC I A L T HA NK S & DONORS A Bit of Class A Wavell Flagpole, LLC AC Gilmore Randy Acock Troy Adler Ainsworth Trucking David Ainsworth Allison Flooring American Bank Amigos de Fiesta de los Niños Anaqua Operating Co. LP Ancient Mariner Anthony’s Aveda Salon and Spa Applebee’s Art Center of Corpus Christi Artistic Flowers Ascuba Venture ATS Tire Service, Inc. Attic Antiques and Gifts Aunt Aggie D’s Austin Film Festival Charles Kaffie and Libby Averyt, Charles Kaffie III B and J Pizza Restaurant B.L. Guess Lighting Backstreet Café - Sinton Balloon Notes Bar B Q Man Restaurant Basic Industries Baskets by Julie Bath Engineering Becker’s Tea Room & Boutique Belly & Baby & Hopscotch Bill Miller’s Bar-B-Que Bill Moreland’s Shutter Shop Binswanger Glass Bistro D”Asia Black Tie Affair Catering Blackies Welding BLG Deli, Ltd.

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Blossom Shop Herb Booth Ike & Debbie Brackin Jessica Bradshaw Braslau’s Furniture Company Julie Buckley Buddy Walker Home Furnishing Buxton’s Jewelers Cabot Cheese Cactus Flower Casa de Oro Jewelers The Castor Collection CC Gasket & Fastener Chatelaine Boutique Don Childress Chilis of Portland Circle H Lodge Mary & Jimmy Clark Class Act Salon Clawson’s Music LLC Coca Cola Bottling Company Comforts of Home Concrete Street Amphitheater Cookies by Design Corpus Christi Art Connection The Corpus Christi Athletic Club Corpus Christi Country Club Corpus Christi German Motors Corpus Christi Harley-Davidson/Buell Corpus Christi Hooks Corpus Christi Ice Rays Corpus Christi Scales Corpus Christi Town Club Corpus Christ Yacht Club Dr. Edgar Cortes Dr. Jack Cortese Cottage Shop of Driscoll Children’s Hospital Crawdaddy’s Catherine Carr Davis

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de la Paloma Malcolm DeShields Desire Laser and Medical Spa Desiree’s on the Bay Nancy & Steve DeSutter Caryl and Jim Devlin Dinah Bowman Gallery Hugh Dobson Domino’s Pizza Doncaster Women’s Clothing Douce-Strain Aesthetic Laser & Wellness Center Dustee’s Fashion Accessories D’Vine Designs Eden Laser Med Spa and Salon Big Frank Edwin Watts Russ Ellis Debbie Emerson Enterprise EOG Resources Evins Glass Service The Ewing Family Finishing Touch First Community Bank Flashbacks Flint Hills Rec Club Maxine Flounoy Fox Tree and Landscape Nursery The Frame Up Francisco’s Salon Freedom Fitness Gateway, Jones and Cook Gatherings Gattitown Hoyte Gentry Gill’s Landscape Nursery Gonzalez Family Gourmet & Gadgets Golden Banner

Green Papaya Gulf Business Printing H & V Equipment Hagemeyer Larry Hale Hamlin Pharmacy Willard Hammonds Willard Hammonds, II Hanley Wood Fine Gifts Harbor Playhouse Nancy & Bruce Hawn HEB Herb Booth Fine Arts Hesters Café and Coffee Bar Bob and Catherine Hilliard Julianne Hawn Holt Peter Holt Wes Hoskins Paul Houston Hubert Veterinary Clinic Dr . Pancho & Jean Hubert Mrs. Pat L. Hubert Vernie & Kathleen Hubert Hu-Dat Restaurant InFlight Outfitters Irme’s Skin Care Clinic ISC Constructors James Avery Craftsman Janet’s Cakery Jewels Joe Cotten’s Barbeque Joe’s Crab Shack Jos A. Bank Julian Gold K R Fused Glass K99\Clear Channel Communications KFTX Real Country Kidz Ultimate Party Zone Kiko’s Mexican Food Restaurant King Ranch Saddle Shop

Knights of Columbus Chris Koliba Tony & Joan Kunitz La Playa Restaurant Laura Miller Photography Layton Bros. Optical Marc Layton Le Vu Level 10 Beauty Lounge Liquid Town Longhorn Restaurant Luby’s Lyssy & Eckel Feed Mac’s Bar-B-Que Maggie’s Pizza and Deli Marco & Company Catering, LLC Market Mattress Firm McAlister’s Deli McComb Relocation Mike Shaw Toyota Miller’s Monica’s Fine Jewelers Montana Mike’s Steakhouse Neptune Heat Treating, Inc. Niko’s Steakhouse North Shore Country Club Nueces Power Equipment Nueces Press O’Gosh Olive Garden Italian Restaurant Oliver’s Jewelry Omni Corpus Christi Hotel Omni La Mansion del Rio Hotel Onyx Engineering Dr. Perry Orchard O’Reilly Auto Parts Orek Clean Home Center Outback Steakhouse Padre Isles Country Club

Paul Kennedy, DDS Bernard & Joan Paulson The Pedal Bicycle Shop Peerless Cleaners Pilates Center of Corpus Christi Richard Pittman Planet Sol Hair Salon The Pooch Pad Postnet/We File Price’s Chef Mr. & Mrs. C. Edwin Prichard, Jr. Railroad Seafood Station Railroad Seafood Station - Odem Rainbow Books Dale and Patsy Rascoe Realty World Red Lobster Repcon, Inc. Rita’s Gifts and Accessories The Robert Driscoll & Julia Driscoll & Robert Driscoll, Jr. Foundation Pat Roberts Robin Jackson Photography Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q Rustic Foods Reagan Sahadi Salinas Catering Salon/Salon Sam’s Club San Antonio Spurs Santa Fe Animal Hospital Sea-athyk’s Gifts at Yachting Center Señor Jaime’s Restaurant Shannon’s Distinctive Fashions Sharp Animal Clinic The Sharp Shooter Shea Physical Therapy Simply Exquisite The Sinton Feed Store South Texas Moulding

Southern Charm Southside Barbacoa Mexican Restaurant Jon C. Spradley Staples Street Market and Diner Still Crazy Celika Storm Stitch It! Stripes Sugar Bakers Susann’s Custom Jewelers Sweet Pea Photography Talbots Taylor Center Deli Texas Battery Service Texas State Aquarium Third Coast Charters TLC The Limousine Company Katrina Tomao Town & Country Café Trend House Tupperware dba Sea Star Sales U S Toy/Constructive Playthings USS Lexington Valero Valvoline Express Wallbangers Water Street Restaurants Wells Fargo Bank Whataburger Tom Wheat Wigington Rumley Dunn, LLP Wings-n-More Woodhouse Day Spa Steve Woerner The Yoga Studio of Corpus Christi

As of 1/15/10

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Fiesta de los Niños Rio Grande Valley

Fiesta de los Niños McAllen Fiesta de los Niños McAllen, presented by Whataburger, will be held April 16th at the La Muñeca Ranch in Linn, Texas. Pictured is the 2010 committee: (left to right) Reagan Florence, Sue Ann Taubert, Lisa Flannigan, Krystal Krenek, Dutch Richards, Sally Smith, Laura GuerraRamirez (Chair), Carmen Jackson, Sister Guerra, Susan Strasevicz, Jeanette Boscamp, Michelle Contreras, Lisa Landry, Joan Massie, George Carruthers, Ellen Carruthers, Janie Soto, Jose Soto. Not Pictured: Somer East, Sarah Jones, Tina Guerra, Victoria Cappadona, Melissa Mikulik, Steff Guerra, and Debbie Gomez.

Watch for more coverage of Fiesta de los Niños McAllen in the next issue of Driscoll Life.

Community Giving The Vishal Raju Bhagat Foundation Donates $25,000 Valero Benefit for Children Golf Classic Awards $25,000 Representatives from Driscoll Children’s Hospital were honored to accept a $25,000 check from the 2009 Valero Benefit for Children Golf Classic. The grant will be used towards the expansion and renovation of the Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

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Daryl Genzer and Kaushik Bhakta present a check to Steve Woerner, President and CEO of Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

The Vishal Raju Bhagat Foundation presented a $25,000 check to Driscoll Children’s Hospital on March 4th. “This is our way of making sure we have a healthy future for our children,” said Kaushik Bhakta, cousin of the late Vishal Raju Bhagat.

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Community Giving Coastal Bend Community Foundation Awards $14,300 to Summer Camps and Injury Prevention In a continued partnership to improve the quality of life in our area, the Coastal Bend Community Foundation has once again committed funding — this year in the amount of $14,300 — to the mission of Driscoll Children’s Hospital. These funds will be used to support the annual summer camps hosted by the Hospital and also the Injury Prevention Program.

Security Service Gift On behalf of Security Service Federal Credit Union, executives Julia Balboa and Jim Bounds graciously presented a $5,000 check to Driscoll Children’s Hospital on December 22nd. Accepting the check is Driscoll Children’s Hospital representative Richard Harris.

Lizette Gonzalez shows her strength with the Killer Bee at the Cookin’ for the Cure Christmas party.

Cookin’ for the Cure Brings Holiday Cheer for McAllen Patients This first ever Christmas event for the hematology/oncology patients at the McAllen Clinic took place on December 19th at Driscoll Children’s Specialty Center-McAllen. This magical event was made possible by Cookin’ for the Cure — a non-profit organization in McAllen founded by Melissa and Gene Mikulik.

Christmas “Wish Lists” were gathered from the patients, and the Cookin’ for the Cure team purchased every patient a present from his/her list. Upon hearing that some patients and families would not be able to attend the event due to

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lack of transportation, Melissa personally arranged with the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees management to use the team bus that provided a round-trip ride for children and families from the Brownsville Clinic.

On the night of the event, dinner was served for all the patients and families, and joyful patients opened their Christmas gifts. Of course, no Christmas party would be complete without a visit from Santa, and parents and Clinic staff looked on with delight to see the children taking pictures with him. But the fun was just getting started for these kids.

Making a special appearance were three members of the Killer Bees hockey team, who came out for pictures and mingling at the party. Kids and parents, alike, went crazy to see these athletes! Everyone received a ticket to the Killer Bees hockey game that very night, and at the game, the Driscoll patients were honored on the jumbotron — a moment to remember!

The event was truly amazing for our Valley patients. Our heart-felt appreciation goes out to Cookin’ for the Cure team for reaching out in a huge way to these children.

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Blockbuster Area Blockbuster store managers delivered $2,200 worth of toys for the children on December 30, 2009. Funds were raised in stores through a Children’s Miracle Network promotion — what a wonderful donation for our patients!

Blockbuster management members show off the exciting new toys they delivered.

South Texas Trail Riders Trailboss Arlis Young and Sweetheart Hattie Orrick (also an RN in the Driscoll Children’s Hospital NICU) present a wagon full of Christmas toys donated by the South Texas Trail Riders. Thank you!

WHERE THE

GIFTS GO Patient Isabella Perez, 3, plays with her Barbie dolls she just received from her new friend Helen Swank, member of the DCH Auxiliary. On a weekly basis, our volunteers distribute the toys that have been donated by the community — such a bright spot in the day for our patients!

The Willard Hammond Family, a.k.a. ACSI Management, Brings Holiday Cheer to Driscoll Children’s Hospital The Willard Hammond Family, a.k.a, ACSI Management donated a sleighload to toys to Driscoll patients during the holiday season. Pictured (left to right): Rosie Guerrero (Manager Coral Cay Apts), Brenda Salcido (Manager Colony Apts) and daughter Kati, behind Kati, Tonya Hayden (Property Supervisor), and Bob Maxhimer. A big “thank you” for bringing holiday cheer!

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Community Giving

Minten Sisters: Special Supporters for Cardiology Care

F

or many years, sisters Dorothy, Esther and Janie Minten have been opening their Christmas House and Santa’s Texas Workshop (the gift store right next to The Christmas House) seven months out of the year to intrigued guests who make this tour an annual event.

These extraordinary sisters have a special place in their hearts for supporting cardiology services, having had a niece who passed away at 18 years old from cardiac disease. One dollar of every admission fee to The Christmas House is dedicated to cardiology services at Driscoll Children’s Hospital. In addition, guests to their home leave donations on the antique pump organ during tours. All the money raised from this “Organ Fund” is also donated to Driscoll Children’s Hospital. For their commitment to Driscoll and to the cardiology care of children in South Texas, the Development Foundation at Driscoll Children’s Hospital has honored the Mintens with an endowment in their name, in memory of Dr. James W. Simpson.

The Dorothy, Esther and Janie Minten Endowment for Cardiology Services in Memory of Dr. James W. Simpson has been established to ensure that the specialized cardiology services available for the children of South Texas continue to grow and reach as many patients in need as possible.

Please contact the Development Foundation at Driscoll Children’s Hospital at (361) 694 - 6401 if you would like to donate to this endowment.

To make a reservation to see the Minten’s magical Christmas House near Premont, Texas, call the Minten Sisters at (361) 325-2068.

Esther, Dorothy and Janie Minten in their Christmas House

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S T N E I T A P L U G R AT E F Recently, for the first time in my life, I needed your hospital. I am a mother of four grown children, all born and raised in Rockport. In the twenty-some years of raising my children I never needed your hospital. Now, as a grandmother of three granddaughters, an incident occurred in my home while my youngest granddaughter and my daughter-in-law were visiting. My 10 month old granddaughter pushed herself over backwards in my kitchen. Initially, she cried, of course. I became extremely concerned when she became non-responsive and lethargic and called 911. The paramedics arrived and transported her to your Corpus Christi facility. The staff members of the ER and 7T were so awesome. From the time we arrived until she was released after overnight observation recommended by the on-call doctors, I can not say enough good things about them! They performed tests that evening within five minutes of our arrival and delivered speedy diagnoses; we were impressed. I applaud your efforts in giving our children the BEST CARE they can have in our area.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart for taking such awesome care of my granddaughter and all our children!

Tell us how Driscoll Child ren’s Hospital has made a difference in your life. Plea se send your st ory to: Driscoll Child ren’s Hospita l Developmen t Foundation 3533 South A lameda Street Corpus Christ i, TX 78411 Or email: Gretchen.Crut

hirds@dchstx

.org

ll Children’s co ris D to u yo k an th y sa I just wanted to h defect in rt bi l ita en ng co a th wi rn Hospital. I was bo e surgery th n ve gi d an ti ris Ch us rp Edinburg, flown to Co 8 years old.

2 ed rn tu ly nt ce re I it. to repair

! u o y k n Tha

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Donor Spotlight

& R E G R U B A T A WHCOLL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL: DRIS

C g n i n n i W a What When Harmon Dobson opened the first Whataburger in 1950 in Corpus Christi, no one could have known at the time what a hugely successful business would evolve from that small roadside burger stand.

Also, no one could have known what an influential and generous corporate citizen Whataburger would become. For more than 20 years, Whataburger has blazed a trail for giving, and giving graciously, at Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

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Left to right: Hugh Dobson, Tom Dobson and Steve Woerner at the 2009 Fiesta de los Niños McAllen, presented by Whataburger.

At the South Texas Cattleman’s Roundup in Beeville last summer, these helpful 4-H members made hard work look fun!

! n o i t a n i b m g Co “Innovative” and “leadership” are some of the first words that come to mind when describing the charitable impact that Whataburger has made for Driscoll Children’s Hospital. It is rare to find a company that has committed so much support for so many years — donating more than half a million dollars in the last 10 years alone. But then again, Whataburger is no ordinary organization and Driscoll Children’s Hospital has a very special cause.

Whataburger has been a major contributor to numerous programs and events at Driscoll Children’s Hospital through the decades. Particularly involved with The South Texas Cattleman’s Roundups and Fiesta de los Niños, Whataburger has helped Driscoll to expand its services in areas such as nephrology, oncology, Specialty Clinics in the Rio Grande Valley, craniofacial surgeries and many others over the years.

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“Whataburger is honored to support the mission of Driscoll Children’s Hospital to help children in South Texas,” said Rob Rodriguez, Senior Regional Director of Operations for Whataburger Restaurants. “Working with Driscoll Children’s Hospital is a natural fit with our ‘Whataburger Serves’ initiative to share the Whataburger spirit of selfless service with customers and the community. So many children are living healthy, happy lives today because of the difference that Driscoll has made for them.”

With so many children facing countless healthcare issues, Driscoll Children’s Hospital is proud to have the ability to offer the specialized medical care that is needed, and thankful to generous supporters such as Whataburger that have truly made a difference in offering that care.

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g n i v i G d e n Plan Comfortable Ways to Make Your Commitment:

Plan a

Charitable

Gift Annuity

Edna Brown smiles with satisfaction as she visits in the Toy Room.

“I have to have something to do with all of my energy,” declares Edna Brown, long time Driscoll Auxilian. She is, of course, describing one of the many reasons that she has been helping the children at Driscoll Children’s Hospital for many years.

“Active” does not even begin to describe this enthusiastic, passionate volunteer, who not only has given so much time to Driscoll, but also to numerous other causes in the community. Since the beginning of the Toy Room, Edna has been a staple there; keeping the shelves organized and delivering toys and joy to every child she meets. Her husband, Melvin Kronk, can also be found volunteering at the Hospital, baking fresh cookies on Wednesdays in the Carousel Connection — located in the Day Surgery and Rehabilitation Building.

Together, this duo truly embodies the spirit of giving back, love and compassion. “I think that having been both a nurse and school teacher really makes this a great place for me to offer my strengths, I love when I can have a part in making a child’s day,” says Edna, candidly.

Edna’s commitment to Driscoll Children’s Hospital goes even deeper than that, though.

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Believing so strongly in Driscoll’s mission of hope and healing for all children in South Texas, Edna decided to create a planned gift in the form of a charitable gift annuity.

A charitable gift annuity is a very beneficial arrangement, providing an income to the donor or person he/she chooses and also a gift to the Hospital.

This popular charitable gift plan is used by many to provide a future gift for a charity and to provide income for the annuitant and a second beneficiary, if any.

The annuitant (the person providing funds to the charity) receives a contract or agreement from the charity which states that the charity will pay the annuitant a fixed income for life (lives) with payments to start immediately or at some set future time. The income paid under the annuity is secured by the assets of the charity and since a

portion of the annuity is a ‘gift,’ an income tax deduction can be received on the gift that is itemized.

Edna and Melvin’s support makes a significant impact in the lives of patients and families on a daily basis. If you, too, would like to help and learn more about charitable gift annuities, contact Ted Daniel, Planned Giving Officer, at (361) 694-5773, or email ted.daniel@dchstx.org.

Melvin Kronk offers some of his freshly baked cookies in the Carousel Connection.

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e

ldren’s a Gift to Driscoll Chi r fo ge ua ng La st ue Sample Beq Foundation, Inc. t en m op el ev D l ta pi Hos to your lly considered in relation sult an attorney nature should be carefu con this of you s t gift tha t nd tha te me no om Please ns. We strongly rec pla ate the legal est h wit and al ply nci com cution so as to comprehensive fina l and to supervise its exe wil r you of n atio par in the pre te. requirements of your sta

bequest is received. quests st need at the time the Potential Types of Be ate gre the se for ll sco used by Dri the gift, perhaps becau Unrestricted gifts are ct amount or nature of exa an ing or r cify de spe ain t ou rem of the If you are concerned ab to estimate, a bequest like estate may be difficult your goals. If you would h plis om acc the size of your future to y wa st be m, the gra be pro y ll ma sco r Dri de ain port for a specific percentage of the rem person or provide sup l cia spe a er, mb me to honor a family cally for that purpose. e your bequest specifi then you can designat the nguage ring your bequest for Possible Bequest La your attorney in prepa and you aid y ma age The following langu en’s Hospital. benefit of Driscoll Childr undation, Inc., a spital Development Fo Driscoll Children’s Ho to h ordance with the eat qu acc be in and zed e I give, devis i, Texas and organi rist Ch s rpu Co in d spital: ate loc Driscoll Children’s Ho nonprofit corporation purpose of supporting the for as Tex of te laws of the Sta ____________________;

a) the sum of $________ -or-

_____________;

ibed property _________

b) the following descr -or-

of) the c) (______________ %

der of my estate.

rest, residue and remain

assets of Driscoll the general investment of any h wit d rge me nt purposes, be oks and records as the gift may, for investme in the Foundation’s bo d this g ere sin ent pri be ll com sha rty pe gift The pro Inc., but the velopment Foundation, Children’s Hospital De ed. nat sig de so be ays alw shall _________ Fund, and scoll Children’s Hospital; d shall be used: Inc., in its support of Dri , fun tion the nda m fro Fou ns nt me utio op The distrib spital Devel of Driscoll Children’s Ho a) to further the purposes -or-

ll Children’s Hospital.

_____________ at Drisco

for ___ b) to provide support

ion of the following se for your gift, inclus

purpo If you select a specific es. cad through many de

t the bequest remains

sentence will ensure tha

useful

e, uld, at some future tim ed circumstances sho ng cha to es, d ste fun Tru the of n’s Board ard shall use Development Foundatio ppropriate, then the Bo If, in the judgment of the racticable, unwise or ina ing consideration to my imp giv d ., fun Inc n, this atio of und use Fo ed nt nat me sig op de vel al De gin tal ori spi render the ll Children’s Ho and purposes of Drisco further the objectives described above. se rpo pu the denced by your special interest as evi please let us know of n, Inc., as a beneficiary, for atio ng und nni Fo pla nt in me rt op po vel spital De to include your sup Driscoll Children’s Ho r generosity, but also you of tion cia If you choose to name pre ap r us not only to show ou plans. This will enable . ure fut the Hospital’s properly advised. y to make sure you are will to consult your attorne ber em rem ase If you already have a Ple l. wil nge or amendment to a A codicil is a written cha itate to contact: plan. Please do not hes you as you p hel to e We are her Ted Daniel Giving c/o Office of Planned s Christi, Texas 78411 rpu Co , da 3533 S. Alame 73 Telephone: (361) 694-57 tx.org E-mail: ted.daniel@dchs

ou Thankreym embering for ns. in your pla

us

SPRING 2010 | DRI S COL L L I F E

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Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage

PAID

Permit No. 712 Corpus Christi, TX Development Foundation 3533 South Alameda Street Corpus Christi, Texas 78411-1785 DriscollChildrens.org

Save the Date 26th Annual

June 5th

Children’s Miracle 6th Network Telethon June 12:00 noon to 5:00pm

7:00pm to 12 midnight

s Help Uate!

Celuenber5 - 6 J

2 010

Corpus Christi and Rio Grande Valley

LOCATION: KIII-TV3 South Texas & KGBT TV Harlingen

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